The present invention relates generally to collapsible easels, and more specifically, to a collapsible easel having improved stability.
Collapsible easels are known. Typical easels include an arrangement of spaced apart legs. In some known easels, the legs of the easel are made up of telescoped tubes or foldable struts that are extendable linearly to a predetermined height. A display support platform is generally placed across at least two legs. The display platform is generally movable, and in some instances may be removable.
One known prior art easel having a board support includes a plurality of legs. The legs are generally pivotally spread apart, with one end of secured to an easel tripod. Each leg includes multiple interlocked sections that are biased together when in an assembled position, but may be selectively manipulated for separation and folding into a bundle with one section against another. A board support is mounted on two legs, but may be selectively moved to a desired position on any of the interlocking sections. Each board support is relatively small with a general C-shape configuration. The board supports are pivotally mounted, such that they are pivotal between two positions, one where it is folded against the leg on which it is mounted and one where it is folded away from the leg. The board supports serve to hold a small section of a canvas or other item when folded away from the leg.
While portable, known art easels as described above have disadvantages. For example, the legs and the board supports are unstable and not suitable for holding heavy boards or paintings. Moreover, because the board supports are so small, height adjustment is limited by the width of the article being displayed.
Another known prior art easel includes to front support legs having an upper end connected to a selectively movable retaining mechanism. A single support brace that is selectively movable, extends laterally to connected the two front support legs together. A rear support leg is hingedly connected to a separate upper plate that is frictionally engaged with a central member. Rear support braces have a first end pivotally connected to a portion of the rear support leg and a second end pivotally connected to a fixed location on a portion of the central member. A board support is removably mounted to a front portion of the central member.
While prior easels of this type are collapsible and relatively lightweight, they are difficult to set up into an operative position that is stable. For example, the front support legs and the rear support legs must be separately adjusted until the easel is balanced due to the separate connection of the support braces and support legs. Accordingly, more time is required to insure an operative set up of the easel. Moreover, experimentation is required to properly balance the easel among the support legs.
Therefore, there exists a need for a collapsible easel that is easy to set up, but provides increased stability over prior art easels.
The present invention is directed to an improved collapsible easel which is relatively light weight, but has increased stability over prior art easels. The inventive easel includes a spine member, at least two front support legs and at least one rear support leg, a plurality of front and rear support braces and a board support. The spine member includes an outwardly extending rear portion that is flanked on each side by a shoulder support. A mounting channel is formed in the rear portion. It is preferred that rear portion and the mounting channel extend the length of the spine member such that the spine member may be cost-effectively manufactured by extrusion or the like. However, it is understood that the rear portion and/or the mounting channel may be formed only on predetermined portion of the spine member.
The spine member has an upper connection mechanism and a lower connection mechanism mounted on the rear portion. Both the upper and lower connection mechanisms include a U-shaped portion and a planar portion. The U-shaped portion is positioned around the rear portion of the spine member with arms of the U-shaped portion contacting the support shoulders on the spine member. The planar member is positioned adjacent to the U-shaped portion such that the outermost section of the U-shaped portion spaces the arms of the U-shaped portion away from the planar portion to form mounting channels.
In the upper connection mechanism, the mounting channels receive upper section of front support legs that are pivotally mounted thereto such that the front support legs are pivotable in a first plane of direction. A hinge member has one leaf secured to an outside surface of the planar member and a second end secured to an upper portion of the rear support leg such that the rear support leg is pivotal in a second plane of direction that is different from the first plane of direction.
In the lower connection member, the mounting channels receive brace ends from front support braces. The front support braces are pivotally connected to the lower connection member such that the support braces are movable in the first plane of direction. Opposite ends of the support braces are connected to a portion of the front support legs for pivotal movement.
A generally C-shaped mounting bracket is fixedly secured to an outside surface of the planar member of the lower connection mechanism. At least one end of a rear support brace is pivotally mounted to ears on the mounting bracket. The other end of the rear support brace is pivotally connected to the rear support leg. Preferably, the rear support brace includes an elongated slot with an access opening for selective removal of the rear support from the rear support leg.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, each support leg has at least two support braces associated with it for increase stability. Preferably, the support braces are arranged in a spaced parallel manner with first brace ends mounted on opposite sides of each support leg.
The board support is selectively movable along the front of the spine member. It may be selectively turned or even removed. A board retaining member may also be provided to secure a top portion of an article being displayed. The board retaining member is selectively movable along the front of the spine member to position the board support at a predetermined height and may be selectively turned or even removed.
Unlike the prior art, the support legs are all secured to the two connection mechanisms. For example, the upper portions of the support legs are secured to a single upper connection mechanism. Similarly, the support braces all have one end secured to a common lower connection mechanism. Thus, the support legs are all connected together, providing ease of set up and greater stability for the easel.